The Frozen Clan
by Spirits and Shadows
Summary: This is for the Avatar: The Last Airbender challenge on the Warriors Challenge Forum. May post more if I get enough inspiration, I have writers block for the story right now. Frostmoon was the last of the old Gifted and the first of the new. Will she always be alone? Possible oneshot, no pairings as of yet. No flames, please! T for possible later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The Story of IceClan

Main Character: Frostmoon- White she-cat with ice-blue eyes

Family: Hazelsky- Golden tabby she-cat with green eyes, mother

Cedarfur- Brown tabby tom with green eyes, father

Onerose- Pale golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes, sister

Hollypaw- Red, black and white calico she-cat with green eyes, sister from a later litter

Rosepaw- Creamy white she-cat with pinkish-amber eyes, sister from later litter

Robinkit- Red, gray, black and white tortoiseshell she-kit, sister from later litter

Mousekit- Pale gray-brown she-kit, sister from later litter

Pineheart- Brown tabby tom with green eyes, brother

Oakwhisker- Brown tabby tom with amber-green eyes, brother

Sparrowpaw- Pale brown tabby tom with amber eyes, brother from later litter

Owlkit- Brown tabby tom with amber eyes, brother from later litter

* * *

Jaykit- Pale gray-brown tabby tom with blue eyes, brother from later litter

* * *

**This is for the Avatar: The Last Airbender challenge on the Warriors Challenge forum, posted by **_**Molly of the Chazin Clan.**_** R&R!**

Frostmoon sat down and sighed, looking into the swirling snow and ice of the Winter River. She was one of the Gifted, able to control ice.

IceClan had separated from WaterClan long ago, in a time when the power over ice in WaterClan was considered unnatural. Cats who bore the gift were forced to sleep elsewhere, eat other food in other places, give birth without the help of the Clan's medicine cat. It was much like the Gifted were a separate Clan, and so Frostmoon's ancestors left WaterClan and came here, to this mystical land of ice and snow. Food was plentiful, water cold and clear, trees growing thick. However, the power of ice had slowly died out in her Clan.

She was the first in many generations to carry it.

Frostmoon sighed, putting a paw in the Winter River, like she had done every day in her life since apprentice-hood. The burst of energy given was reassuring. The power tasted like the fruit of the Ice Trees, sweet, sour, and cold as new-fallen snow, mixed with the essence of Ice itself. She closed her eyes, raised her head skyward, and breathed in, claws digging into the frozen earth. The air was like drinking water after chewing mint, cool and refreshing.

She snapped open her eyes, hearing pawsteps behind her. She turned to hear Onerose padding over, then turned back. Her sister's voice, quiet and soft, rang out in the snow-filled air. "You know, you could just tell them."

She didn't move. "And have them all looking at me like I was special, like I was the host of all StarClan's power? They would expect me to have kits like Mom, to pass on the gift." She looked at Onerose sadly. "I'm not ready for that yet, sis. I couldn't- I can't..." She broke off, sighing as she gazed into the glowing river.

Onerose leaned close, rubbing her sister's side with her own in an attempt to reassure her. "You know, you won't always be alone."

She looked up. "Huh?"

"When Mom was pregnant with us, she had to keep visiting the Winter River. No other she-cats did that unless they were having kits with the gift."

"So..."

"Yes. She and Dad were the great-grandchildren of some of the most powerful Gifted. Our family is kind of inbred: they only mated with the Gifted. Mom and Dad have a huge chance for Gifted children, like you."

"...Onerose?"

"Yeah?"

"How long do you think I'll be alone?"

"I don't know."

"Robinpaw! Mousepaw! Owlpaw! Jaypaw!" The Clan cheered as the four beamed. Hazelsky yowled the loudest, her eyes shining with pride.

The training started.

"Push!" Frostmoon waited as her mother strained. Yes, she was pregnant _again._ This time, however, at least one was Gifted.

Kit's mewls filled the air. The medicine cat left and Frostmoon darted in.

Her mother lay in her nest, nursing three kits: One white, another a dilute calico, the last a silver tabby. She lay down next to her mother and asked, "What are their names?"

"This one... Snowkit, after my mother."

Cedarfur pushed his way in. "What did I miss?"

"We named that one." Hazelsky pointed to the white she-kit.

"Her name is Snowkit."

He nodded. "Okay. Now... I think that one should be Dapplekit." He looked at the calico kit as he spoke.

"Yes." Hazelsky beamed. "And that one will be Stonekit."

Frostmoon smiled. She wasn't alone anymore.

"Come on, you three. I need to show you something."

"What is it, sis?"

"You'll see."

Snowpaw, Dapplepaw, and Stonepaw walked behind her silently now as she led them down the path of ice, towards the Winter River.

"... Why are we going here, sis?" Stonepaw ventured a question.

"You'll see."

"Is that all you will tell us?" Stonepaw blinked, his green eyes shining slightly.

"You'll see."

"Can you say anything else but 'you'll see'?" he meowed.

"You'll see." Frostmoon restrained a smile.

A faint glow lit the trees before them, and she pushed ahead eagerly. The apprentices followed excitedly.

The light of the Winter River shimmered as the flow of snow and ice caught the weak sunlight. She turned to the apprentices and sat down. The others copied her movement.

"Why are we here, sis?" Snowpaw asked.

"What do you know of the Gifted?" she asked in reply.

"They controlled ice." Stonepaw mewed, not really helping.

"They split from WaterClan long ago, and found this land. Though our Clan has lost its gift, it will find us again." Dapplepaw recited. "But you already know that, sis. Why are you asking us?"

She leaned forward slightly. "Our family is directly descended from the Gifted. We have a huge chance for the Gift."

"Yeah?" Snowpaw prompted.

"I guess this leads to my confession." She sat up again, regal in the eerie light of the Winter River.

"Confession?" Dapplepaw asked confusedly.

"I am the last of the Gifted."

"Hhhhh!" The apprentices gasped simultaneously.

"I only found out a few moons before your birth, but our mother had to keep visiting the Winter River when she was pregnant with me. And then, when you were... created... our mother kept going to the river again."

"So?"

"No cat has done that since the days of the Gifted."

"You mean..." Dapplepaw glanced at the river.

* * *

"Yes. At least one of you is Gifted."

_ It took a while, but... it was worth it. All of them had it. I couldn't believe it. _

"You must be careful. If you get angry, you may accidentally trigger the Storm."

"What's that, sis?"

"It's when you lose control of your powers. You just bend like crazy. It's powerful, but impossible to harness. It could destroy you."

"Oh. We'll be careful."

_They learned quickly, quicker than I did. But, they had a teacher. I had to work it out on my own, with nothing more than Grandma's stories to work from. I did it, though, and now they are as powerful as me._

"Snowleaf! Dapplewing! Stonetail!" The Clan cheered as the three warriors stood proudly.

_But the peace couldn't last forever. Strange cats invaded our land, and now we had to fight to save it._


	2. War or Peace?

"Flamestar! Cats have been sighted!" The messenger yowled as he raced into the makeshift camp.

A young warrior shivered in the cold, her voice muted. "We should not have come."

"We had no choice, Cinderleaf," her mate whispered back.

"I know, Oaksun. But we are cats of fire, this land can only do us harm," she murmured, nuzzling closer to Oaksun for warmth.

A pair of kits, only three moons old, squeaked as snow began to sprinkle down. Their mother pinned them close with her fluffy tail, trying to warm them as best she could. Her mate, a burly tom with fur as long as hers, breathed outward sharply. A fire lit on the ground, and nearby cats began to put wood on it, trying to keep the heat source from stopping.

Flamestar rose. "Come, my Clan. We must continue."

**(Fake linebreak since the first chapter screwed them up when I posted...)**

"Whitestar! Cats have been sighted!" Snowleaf ran into camp, panting slightly.

Whitestar ran from his den. "What do they look like?"

"Nothing like us, sir. Most seem to have short fur, but those who do are freezing, too. They don't blend in at all. They all seem to be gray, red, brown, gold, colors like that. And, sir..."

"Yes?"

"... they have kits with them."

Whitestar looked up sharply. "Kits? Outside?"

"Yes. They're all young, under five moons. One she-cat just gave birth, I saw it."

"We must help them, Whitestar!" Hazelsky, a permanent queen, said as she walked up. "We may not want them here, but those kits will die in the cold."

"Kits? What's all this then?" Pineheart, one of her sons, asked loudly.

Cats began to gather. "Kits? Where? Outside? We have to help! They'll die! Whitestar, please! Give the order!"

He sighed, head bowed, before looking up. "We will go to them. Hollyfeather, Rosecloud, organize some hunting patrols."

"Yes, sir!" Hollyfeather began rounding up some cats while others were called over by Rosecloud.

"Warriors, apprentices, come! We will help!"

**(Fake linebreak...)**

"Flamestar! The cats are coming!"

"Ready for battle!" Flamestar jumped down, already planning the attack when a shy she-cat named Smokefur walked up. "Sir, it's possible they don't want to attack..."

"Of course they want to attack, why else would they bring warriors?"

"To help, sir. Clans don't always fight..."

"Yes, they do. It is a dishonor not to!"

"No, sir, it's not... Our Clan is raised to think that way, but you should see the truth... War kills, sir... You never see those cats again, unless they want you to... And why would they? Their Clan was the worst of them all... See the truth, sir... Sir, please!... Don't..." Her voice kept trailing off as she tried to speak loudly.

Flamestar sighed. "Smokefur, I know you hate war, but you must see! War is beautiful! It brings out the fire inside! Fire is good, it is powerful unopposed! We are power itself! Now, go and help our Clan!"

"... No."

"No? What do you mean, no?"

"I mean, I will not harm cats who potentially come to help us." She sighed, shaking her head. "Think of it this way, Flamestar. Our numbers, our ranks, are getting thin. We must get more, or we will lose. Think, Flamestar. Really think. Will getting us hurt help us at all?" Her voice gained strength as she continued. "Think like the leader you are. Our Clan is too fierce, too hung up on being the best. We need to get used to things as they are. Power doesn't help, but an open mind...? The possibilities are endless." She stood. "I will go and speak with these cats. You can send others with me, or let me go alone, but I tell you, I will go, no matter what." She turned and left.

Flamestar watched her go in astonished shock. Smokefur was very quiet, always loyal, though she tended to look down on war. This, however... She obviously believed what she had said. He would not stop her.

**(Fake linebreak again...)**

"Whitestar! There's a cat approaching!"

"Let her come. She's probably just curious."

The small figure struggled towards them, and the slim shape of a gray cat came into view. She eventually made it to them, and stood there, panting, before inclining her head. "Who is the leader here?"

"Whitestar." Frostmoon stepped forward. "Over there."

"White... star? Are you a Clan?" Her curiosity was genuine.

"We are IceClan. Now, go to Whitestar. He will answer your questions."

"IceClan? Didn't you separate from WaterClan a long time ago?"

"How did you know?" Frostmoon asked, her voice full of surprise.

"I am Smokefur, of FireClan."

**A/N: So, minor cliffhanger! Please review!**


End file.
